Sexual Assault in Indian Country: Confronting Sexual Violence

摘要

American Indian/Alaskan Native populations experience sexual assault and violent victimization at an alarmingly high rate. In fact, the reported rate of violent crime in Indian Country is well above all other ethnic groups and more than twice the national average. (American Indians and Crime: 1999). Although the prevalence of violent crimes has been well-documented, it has been very difficult to document the magnitude of sexual assault. However, a fairly consistent understanding has emerged among some Native Americans, service providers and national researchers that the rate of sexual assault in Indian Country is not only disturbingly high, but much higher than is captured by existing statistics. Although differences in the degree of violence and sexual abuse exist from tribe to tribe, the overall picture remains compelling. Due to a lack of certain kinds of data, and the difficulty required in obtaining a solid statistical overview, we do not have clear documentation of the extent of the problem.